Bryan Cole / Collegian File Photo

After days of speculation and rumors circulating in the Valley, Fresno State head coach Pat Hill has decided where he will be coaching football in 2009 — the same place he has for the past 12 seasons.

After interviewing in Seattle last Saturday, Hill said he would not be taking the head coaching position at the University of Washington.

Hill said he wanted Washington to reach a decision by Wednesday or he would turn the position down.

“Because of the time frame we discussed, which is that I needed an answer by Wednesday, it’s apparent that I’m not their top candidate,â€Â Hill said in a press release. “I felt it was in my best interest and the best interest of our team to make this decision at this time.â€Â

Hill is 92-60 in his 12-year tenure at Fresno State and has led the Bulldogs to eight bowl games.

He said he still has lots of things to accomplish at Fresno State and that includes this month̢۪s bowl game.

“We have not met all the goals for our program at Fresno State and I’m committed to reaching those goals,â€Â Hill said. “No one within our program is completely pleased with the results of this season, but the season’s not over. We can finish it with a bowl win and build toward next year.â€Â

Besides learning that Hill would remain as head coach, Fresno State also found out it will be playing in the New Mexico Bowl on December 20 at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time in Albuquerque.

This is the first bowl game of the 2008 bowl season and will air on ESPN.

The Bulldogs have gone to a bowl game in nine of their past 10 seasons and beat Georgia Tech last season in the Roady̢۪s Humanitarian Bowl.

This is senior tight end Bear Pascoe̢۪s third trip to a bowl game in his career with Fresno State and he said he̢۪s excited to get to play in one last game as a Bulldog.

“We are always looking forward to the postseason and this gives us a chance to go on and play one more game,â€Â Pascoe said. “Hopefully we’ll end up with the win and I’ll end my career here with a victory.â€Â

Fresno State will be facing an opponent from the Mountain West Conference. Although the identity of the opponent is unknown until Sunday, the most likely candidate will be Colorado State.

The Rams are 6-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play.

Fresno State lost to Colorado State in 2006 by a score of 35-23 at Bulldog Stadium and has played against teams from the Mountain West twice before in bowl games.

The Bulldogs lost to Utah in 1999 and Air Force in 2000.

“Mountain West opponents are very, very good opponents and it should be a good test for us,â€Â Hill said. “For Fresno State to play a Mountain West Conference school in a bowl game is good for football in the West. Our first two bowl games in 1999 and 2000 were both great games against Mountain West schools.â€Â

With the announcement of Fresno State̢۪s invitation to the third annual New Mexico Bowl, the WAC bowl picture has become a little clearer. For the first time since 1998, the WAC has six bowl-eligible teams.

The WAC has automatic tie-in games with the Roady̢۪s Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, the New Mexico Bowl, and the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

In addition, the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego reached an agreement with the WAC and Pac-10 through 2009, giving both conferences another bowl game.

However, the Pac-10 will likely not have enough six-win teams to fulfill its bowl obligations, so that would allow the WAC to fill the open spot in the Poinsettia Bowl.

“It’s great for the WAC,â€Â Hill said. “Not many conferences can say they have six.â€Â

Hawaii accepted an invitation to play in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl already to become the first WAC team to learn its postseason plans.

The chances of Boise State being accepted as an at-large bid to a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl game for the second time in three years is possible with Oregon State̢۪s loss to Oregon last week.

If the Broncos are placed in a BCS bowl, that leaves Nevada, Louisiana Tech and San Jose State to play in the remaining WAC-affiliated bowl games.

If the Broncos get snubbed from a BCS game, that means San Jose̢۪s season will most likely be over with the Broncos sure to take up a spot.

The selections will be made Sunday afternoon following the BCS selection show at 5 p.m. on the FOX network. Once the BCS selections, which receive priority, are made, the other bowl games will fall into place.

WAC Bowl Games

Here is a quick look at the Western Athletic Conference̢۪s tied-in bowl games. The Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and the New Mexico Bowl have already extended invitations to WAC teams, but there are still some spots that need to be filled.

̢ۢ New Mexico Bowl РAlbuquerque, New Mexico, December 20 on ESPN. Invited Fresno State to represent WAC.

̢ۢ Sheraton Hawaii Bowl РHonolulu, Hawaii, December 24 on ESPN. Invited Hawaii to represent WAC.

̢ۢ Roady̢۪s Humanitrian Bowl РBoise, Idaho, December 31 on ESPN. Has yet to invite a WAC school to participate, will likely invite Nevada.

̢ۢ San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl РSan Deigo, California, December 23 on ESPN. Has yet to invite a WAC school, will likely invite Boise State.

Additional reporting by Logan Hopkins and George Stepanoff, Jr.